Iconfessatthesewordsashudderpassedthroughme.Therewasathrillinthedoctor’svoicewhichshowedthathewashimselfdeeplymovedbythatwhichhetoldus.Holmesleanedforwardinhisexcitementandhiseyeshadthehard,dryglitterwhichshotfromthemwhenhewaskeenlyinterested.
“Yousawthis?”
“AsclearlyasIseeyou.”
“Andyousaidnothing?”
“Whatwastheuse?”
“Howwasitthatnooneelsesawit?”
“Themarksweresometwentyyardsfromthebodyandnoonegavethemathought.Idon’tsupposeIshouldhavedonesohadInotknownthislegend.”
“Therearemanysheep-dogsonthemoor?”
“Nodoubt,butthiswasnosheep-dog.”
“Yousayitwaslarge?”
“Enormous.”
“Butithadnotapproachedthebody?”
“No.”
“Whatsortofnightwasit?’
“Dampandraw.”
“Butnotactuallyraining?”
“No.”
“Whatisthealleylike?”
“Therearetwolinesofoldyewhedge,twelvefeethighandimpenetrable.Thewalkinthecentreisabouteightfeetacross.”
“Isthereanythingbetweenthehedgesandthewalk?”
“Yes,thereisastripofgrassaboutsixfeetbroadoneitherside.”
“Iunderstandthattheyewhedgeispenetratedatonepointbyagate?”
“Yes,thewicket-gatewhichleadsontothemoor.”
“Isthereanyotheropening?”
“None.”
“Sothattoreachtheyewalleyoneeitherhastocomedownitfromthehouseorelsetoenteritbythemoor-gate?”
“Thereisanexitthroughasummer-houseatthefarend.”
“HadSirCharlesreachedthis?”
“Nohelayaboutfiftyyardsfromit.”
“Now,tellme,Dr.Mortimer—andthisisimportant—themarkswhichyousawwereonthepathandnotonthegrass?”
“Nomarkscouldshowonthegrass.”
“Weretheyonthesamesideofthepathasthemoor-gate?”
“Yestheywereontheedgeofthepathonthesamesideasthemoor-gate.”
“Youinterestmeexceedingly.Anotherpoint.Wasthewicket-gateclosed?”
“Closedandpadlocked.”
“Howhighwasit?”
“Aboutfourfeethigh.”
“Thenanyonecouldhavegotoverit?”
“Yes.”
“Andwhatmarksdidyouseebythewicket-gate?”
“Noneinparticular.”
“Goodheaven!Didnooneexamine?”
“Yes,Iexamined,myself.”
“Andfoundnothing?”
“Itwasallverycon